Recent advances in low-power complementary metal-oxide silicon (CMOS) imagers, mixed signal application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and white light emitting diodes (LEDs) has led to a swallowable video capsule for endoscopy [See, e.g., Arkady Clukhovsky, “Wireless Capsule Endoscopy”, Sensor Review, 23, no. 2, pp. 128-133 (2003).]. Capsule-based imaging of gastrointestinal organs was introduced in 1997 [See, e.g., Iddan et al., “In Vivo Video Camera System”, U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,531, Feb. 18, 1997.], and has since become a preferred imaging modality for the small intestine due to its non-invasiveness and its capability for wirelessly delivering video imaging information [See, e.g., Roberto de Franchis et al., “Small Bowel Malignancy,” Gastrointest. Endoscopy Clin. N. Am., Vol. 14, pp. 139-148 (2004); and Doron Fischer et al., “Capsule endoscopy: the localization system”, Gastrointest. Endoscopy Clin. N. Am., 14, pp. 25-31 (2004).] The wireless capsule endoscope presently sold by Given® Engineering LTD, Yoqneam, Israel as the M2A™ Swallowable Imaging Capsule, is 11 mm by 26 mm, pill-shaped, and contains 4 longitudinally positioned light emitting diodes (LEDs), a longitudinally disposed CMOS imager, lenses, a battery and an antenna/transmitter.
Application of this technology to other gastrointestinal organs, including the esophagus, the stomach, the duodenum, and the colon exposes the difficulty that, for organs having significantly larger lumens than the small intestine, the average diameter of which is about 2.5 cm, the imaging capsule may tumble during its passage through a larger-lumen organ since the capsule lacks a mechanism for laterally stabilizing itself, thereby precluding meaningful interpretation of the acquired images.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for facilitating capsule-based imaging of the gastrointestinal tract.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and method for imaging the larger-lumen gastrointestinal organs from which meaningful images may be generated.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth, in part, in the description that follows, and, in part, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.